Vilsack says Republicans "don’t understand" impact of budget cuts

Democrat Governor Tom Vilsack says Republicans “don’t understand” the problems that would be wrought by the roughly 30-million dollars in cuts they propose for this year’s state budget. Vilsack says lawmakers aren’t stupid, they’ve just rushed to do something, and don’t understand the full impact on the state.For example, Vilsack says a one million-dollar cut in the highway patrol would force officials to layoff 102 troopers.Vilsack says he’s like the Maytag repair guy, just sitting in his office waiting to work with Republicans to resolve the budget dilemma. Vilsack says his hope is that they can put partisanship aside and put and end to the election and “get down to the people’s business.”Vilsack says he’s willing to accept about 10-million dollars in cuts that he says would not disrupt state services.Vilsack also defended his record as Governor after the new chairman of the Iowa Republican party labels Vilsack “vulnerable” for re-election. G-O-P chairman Chuck Larson says republicans will label Vilsack a big spending liberal when he seeks re-election. Vilsack says the record shows he’s no big spender.Vilsack says he’ll be happy to take his record to the people of the state. He says the budget last year had the lowest increase in 20 years and the budget that passed, had the lowest increase in seven years.Vilsack says Larson also bears responsibility for the spending record of the Vilsack administration, as Larson was a member of the legislature when the budgets were all passed.